Astral Plague UI - Class Project
Project Overview
My Astral Plague UI project is a branch of my other Astral Plague project. This one, however, is ONLY focused on UI/UX design. It does not involve any programming, but is an exploration of what a true UI could look like.
For this project I developed three main pages
In game Ui, the UI the player would see while actively playing such as the health, mini-map, items, etc.
Game Menu, items page. Listing all of the headers and theoretical look of the items page.
Map page, an interactive map with icons the player could scroll through
In addition to these pages I layered interaction throughout the project such as hover effects, toggle effects, and even some animations.
All work was completed inside of Figma and you can read my write-up (from class) for the project below…
Project Overview
For my Prototyping II honors contract, I proposed developing three detailed game interface prototypes with integrated interactions and animations. Each page was designed according to current game industry standards, utilizing multiple reference sources to guide both aesthetic and functional decisions.
A few key design choices that shaped the final product include the use of a glitching effect, the deliberate removal of rounded edges in favor of harsh geometry, and the strategic deployment of a vibrant color palette.
Glitching Effect
The first major design element is the glitching effect featured prominently on the in-game screen page. This effect gives the illusion of duplicated interface elements by slightly shifting their position toward the edges of the screen and reducing their opacity.
The intent behind this choice was to enhance player immersion, reinforcing the narrative that the player character is robotic or cybernetic. By subtly destabilizing the UI, the player’s perception of the interface becomes an active part of the game’s worldbuilding.
Harsh Edges and Geometric Design
Another important design consideration was the removal of any soft, rounded edges in favor of harsh, angular shapes. This decision reflects the brutalist design philosophy commonly associated with the Cyberpunk aesthetic, notably seen in games like Cyberpunk 2077.
To achieve this:
Navigation elements feature pointed corners and aggressive geometry.
Item slots were designed with intentionally inorganic, rigid shapes.
All icons were constructed without curves, relying purely on sharp, straight lines.
Vibrant Color Palette
The final major visual strategy involved the use of a bold, vibrant color palette. I employed a square color scheme, resulting in two complementary sets of primary and secondary colors.
I selected highly saturated “500-level” colors to inject vibrancy into an otherwise dark and oppressive visual environment, which is traditionally associated with Cyberpunk worlds. This decision was heavily inspired by Blade Runner 2049's visual style, where bright oranges and purples punctuate a dim, atmospheric setting.
The combination of bright, saturated colors against a muted background increases UI legibility and brings a visual dynamism that energizes player interactions without breaking immersion.
By blending the glitching effect, harsh geometric elements, and vibrant color design, this project achieves a cohesive, immersive UI experience that both supports and enhances the thematic goals of a Cyberpunk-influenced game world. These choices were made deliberately to push beyond functional design and enter the realm of storytelling through interface aesthetics.